Liquid separator



Patented Sept. 23, 1930 UNITED STATES Haarsma KNIGHT W. GALE, OF LOSANGELES, CALIFORNIA LIQUID SEPARATOR Application led .Tune 21,

This invention relates to improvements in liquid separators and moreparticularly to centrifugal machine for grading a desirable content andseparating therefrom an undesirable content, from, for example,lubricating oil, such as in crank cases of internal combustion engines.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide a machine of simple,durable and inexpensive construction, involving a bowl having a varyingdiameter and rotatable for forming vertical strata of a fluid contentaccording to the specific densities of its several elements and adischarge for each of the several elements with means at each dischargefor grading and controlling the discharge of the several stratified andseparated elements.

My improvements consist in the novel construction, arrangement andcombination of parts as hereinafter fully, clearly and conciselydescribed, delinitely pointed out in my claims and illustrated by theaccompanying drawing (l sheet) in which:-

The figure is a vertical sectional elevation of a machine constructed inaccordance with my invention.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, A designates the outerseparator element, which is constructed as an open topped ring;

is journalled upon an axis B; supported upon a bearing C and arrangedfor rotation as by a belt D.

The letter E designates the inner separator element, which isconstructed as an opentopped bowl, whose side wall from its bottom toits top is inclined upwardly and outwardly in its major length or heightand in which major length portion, there is a horizontally disposeddischarge slot F and a dam G. Near the top of the said major wallportion there is a discharge slot H and from said slot H to the upperend of the element, the side wall, in its minor length, is formed withan upwardly and inwardly inclined portion E. The dam G and the wallportion E constitute vertically spaced obstructions which projectinwardly immediately above the spaced discharge outlets F and H.

Secured to the axis B and extending up- 1926. Serial No. 117,225.

wardly therefrom is a feed pipe I having at its lower end ports J forcommunication with the inner bowl E and whose upper end is arranged forconnection with a source (not shown) of supply of fluid to be actedupon.

rllhe axis B is supported on a bearing K and is arranged for raising andlowering to affect a variable plane or level relation between the innerbowl and outer ring, as by the bell-crank L and hand-wheel M and isdriven (rotated) as by a belt-drive N.

A cap-element O, comprising a ring of sectional channel-shapesurrounding the discharge side of the slot H of the inner bowl, a spiderP and` hub Q, is supported on a bearing R carried on the feed-pipe I andis arranged for rotation as by a belt S.

Ring shape troughs T, U and V are provided for receiving the dischargedfluid.

Between the arms of the spider P there are tables or flats W forconveying the discharged fluid from the-upper edge of the inner bowl tothe trough V.

In the operation of the machine, assuming the pipe I to be feeding afluid, such as lubricating oil having an undesirable, heav content andwater and the belts D, N and connected with independently controllablesources of power, such as electric motors (not shown) it will be obviousthat by reason of the speed of rotation and the angular disposition ofthe wall of the inner bowl E, the fluid content will, by centrifugalforce, be divided in vertical strata, according to the specificdensities of its several elements.

In the drawing, I show by dotted lines such strata, the line 1indicating the strata of the heavy, undesirable content and the line 2indicating the separation point between the desirable oil and the water.It will be obvious that the heaviest element will be vobstructed in itsupward travel by the dam G and discharged t rough the slots F, theintermediate element obstructed by the upper angular wall E of the innerbowl and discharged through the slots I-I and the lifrhtest elementdischarged over the upper edge of the inner bowl.

It is manifest that by means of the structure shown, the inner bowl E isoperable to 10Q move up and down relative to the outer sepa.-

rator element A. This is accomplished by turning the hand-wheel M, whichwith its cooperatino' mechanism raises and lowers the feed pipe I towhich the inner bowl E is attached. By lowering the bowl E until theslot F is closed by dropping behind the inner wall of the outerseparator element A, the material, which ordinarily accumulates belowthe dam G, is forced to travel further up until it reaches the slot Hbefore it can escape. This in itself affords a means of selectiveseparation.

However, in addition to this means, a further means of control isprovided. It is understood that the inner bowl E and the outer separatorelement A rotate at different or variable speeds. The purpose of this isto establish a control over the discharge of slot F which ischaracterized by extreme precision. To elucidate; support the outerelement A was stationary while the inner bowl E was rotating. This isthe starting point of control. In this case, the material dischargedthrough the slot F must have sufficient pressure behind it to flow upand over the top lip of the element A. Now, suppose the outer separatorelement A was also rotating, then the material discharged through theslot F would be acted upon by centrifugal force due to the slopingi-nner wall at the top of the element A, and would be carried up andover the top of the element and thus exert a pull instead of a pressureon the discharged material. It is easily seen that by controlling thespeed of the outer separator element A, the rate of flow through theslot F is also controlled.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the flow through theslot F may be shut olf entirely by the wheel H and when open, is subjectto precision control obtained by varying the relative speeds of theelement A and bowl E. The consequence of this arrangement is to permitthe discharge through the sl'ot F, of only the material desired and toforce the rest to travel upward to the discharge slot I-I, where thesame control is exercised over the flow. The result is a selectedgrading of separation points in the material.

By reason of the cap element O arranged in the path of discharge of thedesirable Huid element and whose speed or rotation may be variedrelative to the bowl element E, it will be obvious that such pressuresmay be set up and maintained at the discharge H by counter centrifugalaction on the Huid by the rotating cap as to affect a variable gradingof the discharged fluid.

l. In a machine of the class described, a bowl element having a majorportion of gradually increasing diameter and a minor portion ofgradually decreasing diameter,

and having a discharge opening in the length of said major portion, adischarge openlng adjacent the meeting line of the major and minorportions and a discharge point at the top of said minor portion.

2. In a machine of the class described, a bowl element having a majorportion of gradually increasing diameter and a minor portion ofgradually decreasing diameter, having a discharge opening in said majorportion and a discharge point at the minor portion, and an obstructionadjacent the discharge opening in the major portion.

3. In a machine of the class described, a bowl element having a majorportion of gradually increasing diameter and a minor portion ofgradually decreasing diameter, having a discharge opening in said majorportion and a discharge point at the minor portion, an obstructionadjacent the dis-'i charge opening in the major portion, and means forcontrolling the discharge opening.

4. In a machine of the class described, a bowl of varying diameter, aflow control at said opening, a discharge opening spaced below its pointof greatest diameter, means for rotating the bowl, and means for raisingand lowering the bowl during rotation to bring itsdischarge opening todifferent levels relation to .said flow control.

5. In a machine of the class described, an outer bowl, a bowl having agraded diameter fitted within the outer bowl and a discharge openingspaced below its point of greatest diameter, means for rotating thebowls, and means for axially moving one of the bowls to affect controlof the discharge opening.

6. In a machine of the class described, an outer element of open-toppedbowl shape, means for rotating the outer element, an inner element ofopen-topped bowl shape, whose major portion is of gradually increasingdiameter upwardly from its bottom and whose minor portion is ofgradually decreasing diameter and which has a discharge opening at themeeting point of the major and minor portions and a discharge openingspaced below said meeting point, meansfor feeding a uid, to theinnerbowl, means for rotatmg the inner bowl and means for raising andlowering the inner bowl whereby said lastnamed discharge opening may becontrolled as by relation to the outer bowl.

7. In a machine of the class described, a centrifugal separator element,a centrifugal control element for the discharge of the separator elementand distinct means for rotating the separator and discharge controlelements.

8. In a machine of the class described, a centrifugal separator element,a centrifugal control element for the discharge of the separator elementand ,for separately con; trolling the speeds of the separator and.control felements. """MWWW 9. In a machine of the class described, a

bowl having a variable diameter and a discharge opening at its oint ofgreatest diameter, a ring surroun 'ng the bowl in the plane of itsdischarge opening, and means for rotating the ring independently ofthebowl.

l0. In a liquld separator, a bowl, means for rotating the bowl to formvertical strata of a fluid content, said bowl having a plurality ofobstructions which are relatively spatially related vertically and whichhave relatively graded projection from the bowl into the stratifiedliquid and a discharge from the bowl through the side wall thereofassociated with each of the obstructions.

11. In a liquid separator, a bowl, means for rotating the bowl to formvertical strata of a fluid content, said bowl having a plurality ofobstructions which are relatively spatially related vertically and whichhave a relatively graded projection from the bowl into the stratifiedliquid and a discharge from the bowl associated with each of theobstructions, and means at each discharge for controllin the flow ofliquid therethrough.

12. n a liquid separator, a bowl, means for rotating the bowl to formvertical strata of a fiuid content, said bowl having a plurality ofobstructions which are relatively spatially related vertically and whichhave relatively graded projection from the bowl into the stratifiedliquid and a discharge from the bowl associated with each of theobstructions, and a variable speed centrifugal flow control at eachdischarge opening.

13. In a liquid separator, a bowl, means for rotating the bowl to formvertical strata of a fluid content, said bowl having a plurality ofobstructions which are relatively spatially related vertically and whichhave relatively graded projection from the bowl into the stratifiedliquid and a discharge from the bowl associated with each of theobstructions, and a variable speed centrifugal flow control at eachdischarge opening, and means for continuously supplying a liquid, fortreatment, to the bowl.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature.

KNIGHT W. GALE.

